diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4ddee61..2670e33 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,18 +66,18 @@ Since `matchbot` uses Clojure's [tools.deps library](https://clojure.org/guides/
 You can create, start and stop an instance of the chatbot process with the functions in the `system` namespace:
 
 ``` clojure
-;; creating a new instance
-(def my-instance (atom (system/system)))
+;; creating a new instance - an empty Var
+(def my-instance nil)
 
 ;; starting the instance
-(swap! my-instance system/start)
+(alter-var-root #'my-instance system/start)
 
 ;; restarting the instance
-(system/restart my-instance)
+(system/restart #'my-instance)
 
 ;; stopping and resetting the instance
-(swap! my-instance stop)
-(reset! my-instance (system/system))
+(alter-var-root #'my-instance system/stop)
+(alter-var-root #'my-instance (constantly nil))
 ```
 
 Once you are familiar with nREPL, you can additionally use [tools.namespace.repl](https://github.com/clojure/tools.namespace) to make reevaluating (reloading) your changes easier:
diff --git a/src/system.clj b/src/system.clj
index d675a26..e317eea 100644
--- a/src/system.clj
+++ b/src/system.clj
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@
      (deref (:state system)))
     (irclj.core/quit (system :irc))))
 
-(defn restart [system-atom]
+(defn restart [system-var]
   (do
-    (swap! system-atom stop)
-    (reset! system-atom (system))
-    (swap! system-atom start)))
+    (alter-var-root system-var stop)
+    (alter-var-root system-var (constantly system))
+    (alter-var-root system-var start)))
 
 (defn -main [& args]
   (let [main-system (system/start nil)]